Destroyer (Red Alert 2)
During the Third World War, the Allies developed a new version of the Destroyer. This new Destroyer was greatly different from its predecessor: it was armed with a cannon for short-range defense against surface targets and instead of the old Depth charges it used Ospreys to engage submarines. Background The Destroyer was the main Allied warship and was widely deployed on every Allied naval base. It was not too expensive and could be deployed in large groups. Their cannon was effective against other ships, like Dreadnoughts, and the Ospreys were effective against submarines. They were excellent in defending Aircraft carriers against Soviet and Yuri submarines, and they were also effective in attacking coast-based enemies, clearing the way for Amphibious transports. However, they also had a number of weaknesses: firstly, Soviet submarines in numbers could take out Destroyers because they had a faster reload time. Ospreys were also very vulnerable to Sea Scorpions that could take them out in seconds, leaving Destroyers vulnerable against submarines. Finally, they weren't able to use their cannon on submarines even if these emerged from underwater, while units such as the Grizzly tank were able to attack emerged submarines. However, Allied commanders could always force-fire the destroyer's cannon near submerged submarines, greatly damaging them. Important operations in which Destroyers took part included the defense of the coasts of Florida, where however the Allied navy was defeated by the Soviets, the liberation of Chicago, and a number of other operations. Game Unit Allied Destroyer cannons are effective against both ships, vehicles, infantry and buildings, but have a short range. If an Osprey is lost, it is automatically replaced at no cost after a period of time. If the Destroyer is lost, its child Osprey will be lost as well; an airborne Osprey will crash even if a nearby destroyer needs a replacement. When Elite, the Destroyer's cannon would have improved dramatically, to the point the ship could destroy structures from safe distances very quickly with its cannon. Its armor has improved and it gains the ability to self-heal, essentially becoming a small battleship. Aftermath It is not known to operate after the events of the Psychic Dominator Disaster. After Cherdenko's to 1927, the Destroyer was replaced by Assault Destroyer's in the War of the Three Powers. Assessment Pros * Cannon is effective against ships, land units and buildings. * Good Armour. * Can detect and attack submarines with Ospreys. * Powerful in numbers. * Cheap to deploy in large groups. * Deals splash damage. * A cheaper alternative to the Aircraft Carrier when attacking targets close to shore, or well into the enemy base if Elite. Cons * Submarines can take them out on a duel. * Defenseless against aircraft. * Somehow, they are outmatched in even numbers against Soviet Rhino Tanks, Allied Grizzly Tanks or even Yuri Lasher Tanks, though this is negated if the Destroyers are outside their range. * Ospreys are very vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. * It takes time for Ospreys to return on the ship to reload. * Unable to use their cannon on submarines even if they emerge. * If the Osprey kills a submarine: only the plane gains veterancy, not the Destroyer. Selected Quotes Behind the Scenes The Destroyer is voiced by Gregg Berger who also voiced the Harrier and the installer voiceover. Gallery Destroyer Voxel Render.jpg|Voxel Model Render with variants. File:RA2_Destroyer_Korea_Icons.gif|Icon with Korean text File:RA2_Destroyer_China_Icons.jpeg|Icon with Chinese text Trivia *The model resembles the ''Arleigh Burke''-class destroyer. *The ship in the icon is actually a stock model of Italian cruiser Pola with a slightly tweaked dock. *If the Destroyer is sunk while the Osprey is still on board, the Osprey will vanish in thin air. *In the original Red Alert 2, the Destroyer's quotes are used by most Allied naval units (same goes for the Dreadnought's in the Soviet's case). *Strangely, the main gun does not feature a rotating animation. Instead, the entire unit must turn to face the direction of it's targets whereas, all of the Allied naval units in the previous game feature a rotating turret animation. It is possible that this could have been the result of graphic engine limitations or simply a developer oversight. *In the Soviet campaign mission Sub-Divide, it is possible to encounter green Coast Guard Boats, which interestingly, are essentially Destroyers sporting a slightly different model. They are also faster than regular Destroyers. Category:Red Alert 2 Ships Category:Red Alert 2 Allied Arsenal